This is it, everyone! I started this story on Instagram back in May and it made its way onto AO3. It'll be 2019 in just a few days. I started this story to bring some resolution to MSIV and M&S's story. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Katherine Lily Scully-Mulder made her grand debut into the world at 9:05 pm on October 13th after four hours of labor. Her little fists were balled up in displeasure at her entrance to the world if her clamorous cries were any indication.
It was a beautiful, welcome sound.
"You have a girl, congratulations!"
Scully's own cries of happiness soon joined her daughter's as she was delivered onto her chest.
The baby needed skin to skin contact to help regulate body temperature as well as facilitate the bonding process. It was one of many things Mulder had learned in the several dozens of pregnancy, birth and parenting books he managed to read to occupy his time over the past few months.
Tears began to trek their way down his cheeks as he watched the baby quiet as Scully murmured words of love to her.
They both watched the baby, mesmerized and awestruck, completely oblivious to the nurses who toweled the baby down in order to clean her up a bit. The tears continued to come.
Dr. Andrews had asked Mulder to cut the cord and he happily obliged.
Scully sniffled as she gently stroked the soft tuft of brown hair on her daughter's head. "Happy Birthday to you...and to Daddy," she whispered with a teary glance towards Mulder.
"Best birthday yet, Scully."
They silence for a few moments, taking in every single feature. While her eyes remained closed, she had a little button nose and rosebud mouth that he was sure was Scully's. Along with the rich brown tufts of hair, her skin was slightly darker in coloring than he remembered William to be as an infant. The Mulder genes were making themselves known.
"Oh God, Mulder. She's so beautiful."
"She takes after her mother that way."
Minutes later, Dr. Andrews started to reach for the baby. "It's time for this little one's exam," she said with a smile.
Scully instinctively clutched the baby closer to her chest and Kit began to whimper at the sudden movement. "No."
Taken aback, she smiled softly. "She'll be back here in no time. It's just routine testing as you know...we need to get her Apgar score and clean her up."
Mulder stood and placed a gentle hand on Scully's shoulder and she relaxed with a sigh. She was exhausted from labor and still needed to deliver the placenta.
Reluctantly, Scully relinquished the baby and then looked pointedly at Mulder. "You go with her," she all but demanded.
She reached for his arm as she looked at him with pleading eyes and he nodded, but not before leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.
"We'll be right back," Dr. Andrews promised with a smile. "Jen, if you could work on palpitating Dr. Scully's abdomen."
The petite Filipino woman nodded. "Yes, doctor," she said before moving to tend to Scully.
"Let's get you taken care of so you can spend time with your little one once she's done."
Mulder watched his tiny baby daughter as she fussed, wriggling her little arms and legs in protest. The fact that this tiny person had been snatched from her mother's warmth so quickly infuriated him as his daughter wailed in protest at the separation. He couldn't be illogical about this, he told himself. These people were just doing their jobs. He sighed as he watched his daughter as she got weighed and had her measurements taken.
"This little lady has a perfect Apgar Score, a nine. Congratulations, Dad," Dr. Andrews smiled.
Mulder swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat he hadn't realized was there. Once the baby was cleaned up, she had been wrapped in a blanket and was placed into Mulder's waiting arms.
"Hey there my little angel," he whispered as he looked down at her. "It's okay, none of that." As if on demand, the baby's eyes opened and she quieted almost instantly as she peered up at him. His heart lurched at the familiar blue eyes. With his left arm braced protectively around the baby, he moved to touch the tiny hands, nudging them open.
The baby flexed her tiny hand in order to grip onto Mulder's finger.
He had forgotten the doctor was there until she had broken the silence. "We need to bring her back to Mom so she can feed her."
Once the after birth had been delivered and she had been cleaned up, Scully had dozed for a few minutes until she heard footsteps in the room.
She turned and gasped, drinking in the sight in front of her.
Kit had settled against her father's shoulder while Mulder was grinning ear to ear. Scully had only witnessed such a smile on one other occasion just over seventeen years ago.
"How is she?" Scully asked, her eyes pleading. "Is she okay?"
Mulder smiled as he looked from his baby daughter to the love of his life. "She's perfect Scully, absolutely perfect and healthy."
"Let me see her," she insisted, pushing herself into a seated position.
The baby let out a mewl in Mulder's arms as he brought her closer to her mother. The nurse followed closely behind him as he moved to settle Kit on Scully's chest.
Kit bobbed her head while licking her lips and Scully shifted the baby in her arms as she opened her hospital gown.
Mulder watched in awe as Scully gently ran her finger over the baby's cheek, nudging her mouth open before the baby quickly latched on.
Scully gasped at the contact briefly before settling with a contented sigh as the baby nursed. Looking down at the miracle in front of her, she smiled warmly as she ran her free hand through the thin brown strands of hair.
"We can take her to the nursery in a little later while you rest or-"
"She's staying with us," Scully interjected.
The nurse was startled by Scully's abrupt tone before she smiled softly.
"Great. Well as you know already, newborns adjust easier rooming in with their parents. I'll get everything ready for her."
Mulder nodded in thanks as she left the room and Mulder moved next to Scully. They sat for several moments watching the little miracle they had created who was still suckling contentedly.
"For a moment, when I woke up and you both weren't here, I thought it was all a dream. I still can't believe she's here," Scully's voice broke, her eyes never leaving the infant in front of her.
"Against all odds," Mulder murmured as he reached over to push back a wet piece of hair that stuck to Scully's face.
Scully laughed as she allowed the tears to fall.
"She has your eyes," Mulder added. "And nose, Thank God."
"Well Mulder, babies eye color can change over time. Just look at William. She definitely has your lips and coloring though," Scully smiled.
As the baby unlatched from her breast, Scully placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "We love you baby girl."
All three of them were given matching medical ID bands and not long after, the birth certificate had been signed, marking Katherine Lily Scully-Mulder's entrance into the world.
In the following hours, upon hearing the news, Monica, John, and Skinner had dropped by to meet the newest member of their family. Once Scully had been moved to her own room, she was showered with flowers and cards. The birth of Scully and Mulder's child became widespread news as expected.
Scully felt a pang in her heart. There was only one person missing that kept them from feeling complete.
Scully smiled at her daughter as she held her, perfectly swaddled in her blanket. "You have a big brother Katie girl. His name is William, but he goes by Jackson now. I hope you get to meet him soon."
"I hope soon means right now," said a voice from the doorway.
Scully gasped, turning towards the doorway to see Jackson carrying a bouquet mixed with white roses and lilies.
"Oh, Jackson, they're beautiful," she said as her eyes welled with tears.
"Crystal suggested roses and lilies. Her middle name and Kate's middle name," he said with a lopsided smile that reminded Scully all too much of Mulder.
Crystal, whose middle name was Rose, was Jackson's new girlfriend. They had only met her a handful of times, but they were already quite fond of her and most importantly, she brought light into Jackson's eyes they hadn't seen before. For the first time in years, he was happy.
Jackson took in the scene before him, of his mother carrying his sister in her grip. He moved to find a spot for the flowers at her bedside table.
"I'm sorry I'm late."
Scully opened her mouth to respond before Mulder appeared in the doorway with a bag of takeout.
"Hey," he said, placing his hand on Jackson's shoulder.
"Are you sure I'm not imposing?" He asked.
"No!" Both Scully and Mulder rushed to say at once.
Glancing at one another, Scully continued. "We're so glad you came."
Jackson smiled. "I knew you would be okay and Kate too, but I wanted to see for myself."
Once she realized she was no longer the center of attention, Katie began to whimper. Scully turned back towards the baby. "Shh, it's okay sweetheart."
Jackson stared at his sister, mesmerized. "She's so little," he admonished.
"You were that small at one point too," Mulder chuckled.
Scully glanced from the baby back to Jackson, debating on her next move. She didn't want to push her son but decided to extend the invitation anyways. She lifted the baby towards him.
"Would you like to hold her?"
Jackson hesitated for a moment, looking between her and Mulder and then back at the tiny bundle in Dana's hands.
"Are you sure?"
Scully laughed. "Are we sure? You're our son. Her brother. Of course, you can hold her. I mean, only if you want to."
Jackson licked his lips as he watched the baby turn her head as if sensing his presence, tiny arms extended out.
Closing the distance between them, he extended his arms and allowed his mother to place the baby into his arms as she explained to him how to hold her properly and support her head.
Once Katie was securely in his arms, he moved to sit in the chair beside Mulder.
Mulder moved to sit beside Scully on the hospital bed, wrapping his arm around her as they watched both their children together.
Jackson watched the tiny bundle as she scrunched up her red face and he stiffened, bracing himself for a full-out wail. To his surprise, she let out a small yawn as she stretched her tiny limbs before settling into his arms, eyes wide and staring back at him, watching him intently.
"I hear you talking about who she looks more like," he said pointedly at Mulder and Scully. "Newborns just look like potatoes to me. But she seems to have Dana's eyes and Mulder's hair." That earned him a laugh from both.
He looked down at the baby who was fascinated by this new person holding her. It was then that Jackson felt an overwhelming warmth, it was an unusual sensation and suddenly he felt perfectly at ease holding this tiny person as if they had already known one another for a lifetime.
"Hey Katie, I'm your big brother."
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the birth of Katherine Lily Scully Mulder. :) There WILL be more, but since I wrapped up the mytharc, I decided it would be more fitting to start a new installment that explores how Mulder and Scully navigate parenthood. I hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks for sticking around and reading if you made it this far!